Expectations

I lead a respectful classroom. To achieve this I have established a few simple policies. As a student, it is your responsibility to comply with these policies. I have a high expectation of academic excellence from every student. When you are in my class your focus is on academics.

RESPECT

Watch Your Mouth- Students will exhibit courtesy and respect toward all other students at all times. Hateful comments concerning race, gender, sexual orientation or sexual identity, political views, appearance, or of any other type will not be tolerated; this applies to serious as well as "joking" comments.

Leave the Food at Home- In keeping with school policy, students may not eat in the classroom. This includes candy. Bottles of water are permitted.

No Cell Phones-Cell phones should be placed in your assigned sleeve. This is how I take attendance, so please do not forget. They must remain in the sleeve during the entire class (even if you leave to use the restroom). If you violate this policy, your phone will be confiscated and returned to you at the end of the school day.

Restroom-Please ask to use the restroom at appropriate times (transitions/independent work). Do not ask while I am instructing or at the beginning/end (first or last 10 minutes) of class. You will need to sign the pass out. The number of passes if limited, so please make use of passing periods to take care of your needs.

I Need to See Your Eyes- Students must be engaged in class, they may not sleep or be distracted online while in class. To prevent this, a student's eyes must be open and visible to the instructor at all times. When I say "screens down," you will tilt the screen to a 45 degree angle, or turn off the monitor.

Dismissal- The bell doesn't dismiss you, I do. Please do not pack up until I have indicated it's time. If you pack-up early you will stay late.

ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS

Be on Time- Be in your assigned seat and working on your bell ringer/opening question when the bell rings.

Bring Your Stuff- Make sure to bring your charged Chromebook and materials to every class, unless told otherwise by the teacher.
Materials include:

Charged Chromebook

Notebook (paper)

Pencil and pen

Listen- Pay attention and stay seated when someone is speaking. Follow directions the first time they are given and ask for clarification when you need it.

No Opt Out-You must be engaged in class. You may not opt out of: answering questions, group discussions, partner/independent work. Not being engaged will negatively impact your grade.

Academic Honesty- It is expected that students will use genuine, sincere, and fair means for the accomplishment of the tests, tasks, or projects from which evaluations of progress shall be determined. Students found plagiarizing; copying or cheating in any way will receive automatic zeros. Flagrant or repeated offenses will result in a suspension. Cheating includes copying another’s work and will not be tolerated.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance is one of the biggest indicators of success. Please check the website when you are absent AND talk to me. All tests and quizzes must be made up in office hours or connections immediately after you return to school. If your absence(s) is excused you have two days to get the work turned in for full credit.

LATE and MAKE-UP WORK
In my classes we will follow the sage advice of Professor Lorie Scholnik:

All assignment due dates will be clearly communicated to students. If students are proactive, they should set up a calendar and reminder system for every class. Then it becomes up to the student to use effective time management skills to turn everything in on time.

However, that doesn’t always happen. When a student can’t make a deadline, it’s always worth contacting the teacher to see if the assignment can still be submitted for a grade. Even if it isn’t accepted for full credit, it’s still advisable to put in the effort to get as many points as possible and to show the teacher that the extension is appreciated.

There are other tips involved when turning in a late assignment, which include:

1. Talk to the teacher as early as possible. This shows that you are not waiting until the last minute and have at least put some thought into your work. If there is a legitimate excuse, teachers appreciate the advance notice and the open communication. (Yes, this means you will need to talk to me about the potential for late work prior to the due date.)

2. Keep excuses to a minimum. Not to be harsh, but sometimes the excuse doesn’t matter because there was such advanced notice about the deadline.

3. Take personal responsibility. Teachers appreciate the acknowledgement that deadlines were announced in advance. Also, taking personal responsibility shows a maturity level and an ownership of your actions.

4. Turn in quality work. Especially if a teacher granted an extension, make sure the extra time was used to put effort into the assignment. Also, teachers definitely take note of which students care about the work they submit.

5. Don’t get upset if points are taken off. Teachers have to be fair to the students who did turn their work in on time.

6. Assure the teacher that this won’t happen again and follow through. Actions speak louder than words. Show the teacher that you care about the class by turning the remaining assignments in on time.

To turn in work late you must have direct permission from me and you must sign the late work form. No work can be turned in after a certain period of time (usually the end of the unit). I will communicate those cut-off dates to all students.